B2B marketing best practices — online and off.

Posts tagged: Offers

Has the day come when technology can replace the B2B marketer? I think not. But two Web-based analysis tools, and a tool for interacting with B2B event attendees, may help them be a lot more effective.

AttentionWizard.com is a “Visual Attention Prediction Tool for Landing Pages.” Technically, it “simulates human vision during the first 5 seconds of exposure to visuals, and creates an eye-tracking heatmap based on an algorithm that predicts what a real human would be most likely to look at.” Ranging from $27 to $197 per month, this tool tells B2B marketers scientifically how the layout and organization of their Landing Pages might enhance or detract from its performance. I believe it offers a free trial.

OfferGrader™ was discovered by Dale Underwood of B2B Conversations Now. It is the site builder’s first attempt at “a tool that would help our B2B clients gauge the strength of the call-to-action offers they provide on their websites to assist with b2b lead generation.” One look at the site told me immediately that, even if you don’t run their analysis against an actual site, it gives you a pretty quick list of the elements that would improve its performance. It’s in its trial form now; therefore, there’s no cost to try it.

David Meerman Scott of WebInkNow has focused a few blogs lately on QR codes. Although I think they’re very cool, I also know that they are new enough right now. So usage is small and not without some technology barriers. However, Scott’s latest post on the subject does point out two excellent uses of QR codes for B2B marketers at trade shows and conferences that are well worth reading.

Check out these tools and posts. I think B2B marketers should find them to be interesting additions to their portfolio of solutions.

I love marketing offers. In B2B marketing (or any kind, for that matter), offers are what you give someone for doing something you want them to do.

Content is an offer. Offering content in outbound B2B marketing is basically saying:

“By accepting this offer you are showing that you have interest in learning about this topic. Tell me who you are and how to reach you and, in exchange, I’ll give you this white paper or this assessment or this guide or these case studies, etc.”

How often should a B2B marketer make an offer in outbound marketing efforts? The answer is ALWAYS.

When we B2B marketers invite prospects and clients to a Webinar, we see the Webinar as the offer. It has value and is educational. That’s why I was surprised and delighted to get this email invite.

Not only do InformationWeek and the event sponsors Syncsort and NetApp invite me to a Webinar, but they offer me the opportunity to win something if I attend.

So I asked myself, “What is their strategy in doing this?

I’m not sure I’m correct, but when I read the “contest rules” I discovered two possible answers. Here is the section of the Contest Rules I found revealing:

“To enter, each potential entrant must become a registered user of the Web Site and truthfully and accurately provide all information required by the registration process and view the “Virtualize without Compromise: Understanding VM Backup and Recovery” Webcast in its entirety prior to 2 p.m. EDT on July 26, 2011. The eligible prize winner(s) will be selected at random from all eligible entrants who view the Webcast in its entirety.”

It’s possible that two of the reasons this offer is being made are:
1. To make sure the registration is complete and accurate, and
2. To ensure that attendees don’t leave the Webcast early.

This offer makes the invitation stand out from dozens passing through a typical inbox. The subject line of “Win [50] $10 Starbucks gift cards: Understanding VM Backup and Recovery” puts the offer up front.

In addition, this offer gives me a very positive perception of the publication and the event sponsors. They are making a $500 investment in the hope that this Webcast will generate X number of leads and X number of new customers and potential revenue that justifies the investment.